It was almost fitting that Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports dominated for a second straight week in the Nextel Cup series, since NASCAR hopes to make the first step towards taking away the overwhelming advantage enjoyed by big-budget race teams as they introduce the Car of Tomorrow this weekend at Bristol.
While the main focus of the Car of Tomorrow is toincrease driver safety and allow for more side-by-side racing on the track, one of the side benefits is supposed to be more parity in the sport ? the idea being that lower construction costs and a car that is easier to tune for race day will allow smaller teams to compete more effectively on a weekly basis.
The idea of equal opportunity for single-car teams is the intriguing part about the Car of Tomorrow, but is there really a chance that a small team could come out of nowhere at Bristol and be a surprise winner?
Theoretically, it is possible. Since many aspects of the Car of Tomorrow are brand new, the tricks that teams would normally use to make their cars fast will not translate to the new design. In that respect, the playing field will be leveled.
“We need to figure out how to make it work, and that is going to take some time,” Johnson said this weekend in Atlanta. “The first team that finds it is going to have a nice advantage.”
But even if a single-car operation like Morgan-McClure or Hall of Fame Racing hits the right set-up before the bigger teams, the advantage will be temporary. And that is where the idea of parity starts to become a little less realistic.
With multi-car teams and millions to spend on research and development, it is inevitable that NASCAR?s elite organizations like Hendrick Motorsports and Roush-Fenway Racing will quickly regain any advantage lost in the initial switch to the Car of Tomorrow.
“Our teammates have all picked areas we want to work in,” Johnson said last month at COT testing in Bristol. “Then [we can] get together, find out where we?re at and make the cars better.”
That use of collective information is one area where the bigger teams will always have an advantage, and it is no coincidence that drivers and crew chiefs from organizations like Hendrick seem to be looking forward to the COT?s debut.
“I?m really excited about going there for the first time,” said Chad Knaus, Johnson?s crew chief. “I think we?ve got a shot to go out there and have a very successful race.”
We will know soon enough just how many promises the new Car of Tomorrow can deliver on. The increased safety is a given and we will find out shortly if the side-by-side racing is better. But don?t be surprised when it is a driver from one of NASCAR?s premier teams hoisting the trophy over his head Sunday at Bristol.
Get up to speed on the latest in NASCAR by listening to Wilson?s Race Report every Monday and Friday at 5:39 p.m. on 93.1 WPOC. You can e-mail Steve at [email protected].
